North Carolina Department of Correction news release
Gov. Jim Hunt Names Fred Aikens Deputy Secretary
MARCH 14, 1997
Raleigh - Gov. Jim Hunt has appointed former Dept. of Transportation deputy secretary Fred Aikens to the N.C. Department of Correction where he will put his energy and talent into one of the Hunt Administration priorities--keeping violent criminals in prison longer and putting inmates to work.
As deputy secretary of Correction, Aikens will play a key role in setting goals and policies and oversee divisions including Victim Advocacy, the Criminal Justice Partnership Program, Internal Auditing, Legislative Development and Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency.
"Fred Aikens has proven himself a good manager and will bring a new dimension of experience to the Dept. of Correction," Gov. Hunt said. "We look forward to his input in keeping our streets and neighborhoods safer." At DOT, Aikens took a leadership role in helping the department operate more efficiently by successfully implementing several major automation projects. While Deputy Secretary at DOT, he also served as Acting Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. | ![]() |
A native of Wilmington, Aikens earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, in 1975 and a masters degree in regional planning from UNC Chapel Hill in 1978. He started working for the Triangle J Council of Governments as a housing planner in 1977 and in 1978 became a fiscal research assistant at the N.C. General Assembly. He was promoted to fiscal analyst, then senior fiscal analyst before becoming DOT's deputy secretary in 1993.
"The correction department is looking forward to having Fred's expertise with the General Assembly and his fiscal and budgetary knowledge," Correction Secretary Mack Jarvis said. "As this department becomes more complex, we are grateful for the help that Fred Aikens will bring."
"I'm thankful for the opportunity to have served at Transportation," Aikens said. "I look forward to new challenges with the Department of Correction, supporting the Governor's agenda to keep violent criminals behind bars longer and to make them work."
Aikens, a Lt. Colonel in the North Carolina Army National Guard, is married to the former Lucy Easter, also of Wilmington. They have two daughters, Natasha, and Lucinda.
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